Trio opens photo studio, coffeehouse in historic Bethalto building

BETHALTO - Husband-and-wife team Charlie and Jay Myers and Jay's sister, Deej Gausling, are breathing new life into a Bethalto landmark with their photography studio and coffee shop.

"This building really is magnificent," Charlie Myers said. "Most people around know it as the Klein building, the second oldest building in Bethalto. It has a lot of neat features and a lot of history."

PBC (Pix By Chix) Photography and Creative Cafe WiFi coffeehouse opened for business at 128 W. Central on Nov. 9.

The new location, former home of Giacalone's Italian Bistro, was built in the 1860s and features 2,400 square feet on the upper level alone, ideal for club meeting, holiday party, wedding reception, birthday or family reunion rental.

"There is a stage, also," Jay Myers said. "It is perfect for band concerts. It has hardwood floors and a lot of Old World charm."

PBC Photography was the brainchild of a crew of photography buffs.

"Deej started taking classes for graphic design at Lewis and Clark, and part of that curriculum is photography," Jay said.

"I have done photography all of my life, but it has only been the last couple of years that I really knew what I was doing with my camera," Deej Gausling said. "I am more serious now about understanding the technical side of things."

The group decided to open its own photography business. Deej was working as a medical secretary and nursing assistant, and Charlie recently had retired after 20 years as a 911 operator.

"He retired, and then we put him right back to work," Jay said, laughing.

Growing quickly from a hobby into a thriving business, they soon realized they needed more space.

"Word of mouth is how we grew," Jay said. "Our house just had limitations as far as using it as a studio, and could no longer accommodate what we needed."

The search began for a studio in the Alton, Edwardsville and Bethalto area.

"In September, Charlie came in to the Giacalone's Italian Bistro to buy a gift certificate, and they told him the restaurant was closing," Jay said. "We contacted the owner, signed a lease, did some quick remodeling, and here we are."

PCB Photography offers family, wedding, graduation and pet portraits as well as lessons for everyone from the novice to the expert. Saturday classes for children and teens begin Jan. 8.

"As long as you like photography, we can cater to you," Gausling said.

Jay Myers said classes are available for photographers who want to take their skills to the next level, and PBC offers the latest computer software and equipment.

"For people who graduate, they often lose the resources the schools offer," she said. "This is a way to continue having access to those resources. Photoshop is intimidating, but if you know the tools, you can really get a lot out of it. It's expensive, but we have access to it here.

"For our customers, we can do prints in house, but our structure is focused on the session itself. You are getting a professional setting and the time required, but the prices are competitive with photo kiosks."

Charlie said they also provide a CD with retouched prints and special effects to take with them, and the CD gives customers the flexibility to make their own prints.

In addition to offering the space for a large studio that also can be rented out, the building opened up the possibility of adding a coffeehouse and photo gallery.

"Charlie wanted a coffee pot handy for people when they came in," Jay said. "We researched it and realized there were all kinds of certifications we had to have to even serve coffee. We already had a kitchen here, then Charlie went and got certified, and the coffeehouse just grew from there. We want people to feel like they can come in and hang out, take their time, and check out the gallery."

Current plans are to expand to a food menu beginning in January.

"We got feedback from people here that said they would like to be able to come in and grab lunch," Jay said.

A combination of services (including catering services and hall rental) and competitive pricing, teamed with the experience and technique to create quality prints, makes PBC a one-stop shop for wedding parties and anyone else wanting to preserve those special moments.

"In these economic times, it is sometimes hard to splurge on things like pictures, but people still want those memories to treasure and keep," Jay said.

For more information and class schedules, call (618) 377-3100 or visit the website at www.pixbychix.com.